August 24 is Waffle Day but, in case you’re thinking you may have already celebrated, don’t worry – you’re not going crazy. The truth is, you probably did.
Waffle Day is one of those rare occasions worth celebrating twice, and the last one was back on March 25. That was five months ago, and it’s definitely time for a Waffle Day redux.
While the March celebration originated in Sweden, where people mark the beginning of spring by eating waffles, the U.S. holiday commemorates the patenting of the country’s first waffle iron on August 24, 1869 by Cornelius Swartwout of Troy, New York.
We bow to you, Cornelius.
Clinton Hall, New York City’s popular beer hall and restaurant, pays tribute to Swartwout’s invention daily with over-the-top treats they call WTF Waffles.
They decided to add these to their menu because they wanted to create a dessert that was unique and Instagrammable.
They succeeded.
Although flavors change quarterly, it’s hard to imagine a better list than the current one. There’s Birthday Cake, German Chocolate, Red Velvet, The Peanut Butter Dream, S'mores, Carnival and, paying respect to the anniversary of the death of The King on August 16, 1977, there’s The Elvis.
The Elvis Waffle is made with banana ice cream sandwiched between two original waffles covered in peanut butter, strawberry jam, bacon crumbles, sliced bananas, banana sideburns, strawberry sauce and whipped cream. It’s topped with Fudgie Wudgie cake and souvenir Elvis glasses, which guests can keep. You can’t help falling in love with it.
For Waffle Day, Clinton Hall -- which is renowned for its SUPERCRAFT™ beers -- will be offering $1 Gigawatt IPA’s with every WTF Waffle order at all four of their locations. Gigawatt IPA is their first proprietary brew, and it was created in partnership with Bronx Brewery.
The custom blend is a hazy, 7.8% New England style IPA with fresh tropical aromas and rich, biscuit-flavored undertones.
Beer and waffles? Give thanks that Waffle Day is on a Friday this year.
